Dancing Your Heart Out
by grayjester
Summary: NEW CHAPTER ADDED! Short finds herself money-hunry for $1,000,000 dollars. But in order to get the money, she has to dance against many other dancers in a competition. Please R&R!! THANX!!
1. I'm Grounded, but I'll Always Dance

Dancing Your Heart Out  
by Gray Jester  
  
  
brbrIt was a gloomy, rainy, black night. The residents were comfortably tucked into their beds nice and tight feeling the warmth of their covers. One of these residents, was Shorty. She had just been tucked in five minutes ago and had waited for the sounds of a double car-door-slam. For now, Shorty closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep as her father made his way to his blue shiny convertible with discs and cd's, ready to be played in his club. Finally, she heard her father make a sharp screeching sound (her father was quite wild). 'One down..' Shorty thought, 'one to go'. And of course that 'one' was her supermodel mom. Shorty lifted her head up so then her other ear would be able to hear the high-heel clicking of her mother's pair of high heels leave the main hall and depart into the garage. Then, 5 minutes later, both parents had left for work. Shorty gave out a short grin as she looked at her pet Columbo. Shorty then hopped out of her covers in her pink pajamas and her bunny slippers. She skipped over to her radio and pressed the 'ON' button as loud pop alternative music filled the room. Shorty hopped to her feet and began dancing about as the music filled her mind. Columbo, whom was watching from his cage, bit the iron fences of his barrier and hopped off the shelves in which his cage was placed in. Together, Shorty and Columbo began to join each other for a pleasant dance. "Haha! Life for a 14 year old is cool, isn't it Columbo?" Columbo gave out a loud squeak as it dropped to the ground breakdancing. The two friends danced the whole night as their dancing techniques built their stamina up. "SHORTY?!" a loud woman-like voice called out. "Eh?" Shorty questioned her thought as she turned her attention to the door. The music suddenly screeched. "SHORTY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP AT THIS HOUR? DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?!" Shorty glanced over to the clock, cocked her head, and turned over to her mother. "Uhh...3:30 p.m." Shorty answered as her head lowered to her shoulders, expecting to be hit as she covered the back of her head with her hands. "YEAH! 3:30 p.m....plus 9 hours and twenty nine minutes! You should be asleep! Not dancing with that stupid rodent of yours!" Columbus gave out a ferocious snarl at Shorty's mother, but then the supermodel mom slammed her heels to the ground which created a mini-earthquake for the poor rat. Columbo scurried off the wooden tilings and into his cage. "As I was saying..." her mother continued, "who do you think you are, keeping yourself this late?" Shorty stomped like a juvenile four year old and exclaimed with tears, "I HAPPEN TO BE A 14 YEAR OLD, MOM!!! WHY DO YOU GET TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT?!" Her mother's eyes widened. "DON'T ADAPT THAT TONE WITH ME, SHORTY! YOU'RE GROUNDED TIL FURTHER NOTICE! No one...ESPECIALLY SOMEONE LIKE YOU...has the right to do that to someone like me, nor has any business wandering off into the night, dancing." Her mother turned around and walked off going back to the garage. "Now what was I going to do? Oh yeah! I forgot to wear my pants." Thus, Shorty grew furious and decided to sleep.  
  
brbrThe next morning, Shorty's eyes suddenly opened up to the blinding rays of the sun. She forgot to close her blinds at night. Shorty rose her upper-body off the bed and rubbed her eyes a bit. She yawned and decided to get a morning start with a delicious meal of Eggo Waffles. She got into her childish red overgrown shirt and into her jumpers. She grabbed her cap and wore it backwards. She then picked Columbo up from his cage. Columbo began bellowing and squeaking madly at Shorty about how tired he was and why she woke her up for no reason. "Oh, shush, Columbo. If I didn't wake you up, you would miss your favorite TV show." Shorty said as she giggled. She sat little Columbo on the huge white leather sofa and turned her flat screen television. She flipped the channels until she ran into the cartoons. Columbo yearned for the sight of Bugs Bunny. Few seconds later, Bugs Bunny Appeared on the screen as Columbo rose to his little feet and applauded. Shorty giggled and headed off for her Eggo Waffles. She sat on her table as a gray newspaper caught her attention. It read in big bold letters, "DANCE! DANCE! DANCE!'. "Ooh Lala!" Shorty said as she grasped a hold of the newspaper. She began reading, "Dancing competition and tournament. 16 contestants, one winner. Grand prize..." Just then, Shorty dropped the newspaper as her eye pupils turned into a dollar sign. "1,000,000 DOLLARS! COLUMBO! Shorty screamed out as she scurried off the table and grabbed little Columbo off the couch. Columbo squeaked about how he was interupted rudely with his session with a full hour marathon of bugs bunny. "Enough of that Columbo! How would you like to win a 1,000,000 dollars! In cash!" Shorty said holding Columbo's hands. Columbo smiled in interest. "All we have to do is enter the contest, and beat all the contestants in dancing! It'll be no problem!" Columbo then reminded Shorty about being grounded. "That's alright, Columbo, we'll sneak out! We'll use our midnight dancing for practices, and use the whole morning and afternoon planning more moves." Shorty detailed. Columbo nodded into agreement and decided it was best for the two to enter the contest. "Good! We'll have to sign up first thing tomorrow and audition. For now, go watch your bugs bunny marathon!" Shorty said with excitement. Columbo hopped off and continued for his viewing pleasures. "1,000,000 Dollars...I CAN JUST IMAGINE IT!" 


	2. The Maids of the House

Dancing Your Heart Out  
by Gray Jester  
  
That same morning, during breakfast, Shorty's excitement had overan her whole body. Her hands stuttered when she lifted a fork, she often spilled the milk on the ground, and she even dropped a waffle on the ground just thinking about the tournament. She tried to keep it cool around her maids, but her stuttering caught their attention. "Mosieur Shorty, iz there something wrrrong?"asked one of the maids. "Nothing, Quincy. I'm just specticle at the moment," Shorty said bashfully. "Well, you'd better finizzh ze wafflez before ze floor duz" the french maid said as she stepped on a waffle, the absorbed syrup beginning to spread. "No thanks! I'll be on my way now!" Shorty said excitedly as she hopped off the chair and rushed off. She grabbed Columbo by the tail, ran up the stairs, and sat him on the bed. "Now Columbo, pick two of the songs we should dance to in the tournament." Quickly, Columbo hopped to it's little feet and hopped off the bed. It then began to flip through CD's until it found two of it's favorite. Then, the two CD's were canapulted into the air. Shorty dove for the first CD, and then lifted her knee up to catch the other one. "Gaah! Columbo! It would've been easier if you just handed it to me!" Shorty stood up, and took the CD on her knee. She grabbed the first CD and looked for songs. "Hey! Let's get Shorty and the EZ Mouse. Our trademark song!" Shorty suggested. She then turned to the other CD. "Track one...Cutey with a Bootey? No...to explicit. Track two...I'm Just a Baby. Naah. Track three....Lick my..." Shorty paused there for a second. Her jaw then dropped down. "COLUMBO! WHY THIS CD?!" Columbo hopped to it's feet once again and appointed the song, 'Hizashi-no-ohu-no Happy Heart'. "Oooh! That song!" Shorty said having a fast heart and life pulse. Columbo squeaked with pleasure as Shorty agreed to the song. Shorty stood up and declared, "Alrighty then! Let's start practice!" She then sprang herself into the air and landed next to the radio, as she played 'Short and the EZ mouse'. Columbo hopped on Shorty's jumper and layed on it's pouch. Shorty began to dance for the beat of rhythm. She steadily made her way up to the clap part of the song. She moved to the beat of the song and moved her arms left to right as her feet gluided against the left. She then jumped, swaying her hips from left to right as she let her hands run wildly. She dropped to the ground on one knee, and got into the ground like a spider. She kicked her left leg up and hopped into the air. Columbo squeaked and hopped to the wooden carpet. It began mimicking Short's movements. Shorty then swayed her hips and used her arms to maintain her balance.   
  
"What do you think zey are doing?" Quincy asked one of the other maids. "Dancing of course!" replied the other maid as she smiled. "Oi! We've got to zee zis!" Quincy suggested as she ran up the stairs with the other maid.  
  
Upstairs, Shorty continued to dance her hardest. Sweat was dropping, her stamina was building, and unfortunetly, her gut was aching. "Gaaaaah...." Shorty sighed. "I shouldn't have danced to early..." Shorty cried out. The music suddenly came to a stop as Shorty dropped to her knees, tired. "Pheew. Well that was gruesome." Shorty opinionated as she held her gut. Columbo dropped down, face first, extremely pooped out. Shorty then heard a loud applaud. "Bravo! Mosieur, Shorty! Bravo!" yelled Quincy. "Gaah! Quincy!" She kicked the door a bit more open to see the other maid applauding as well. "AND VICTORIA TOO!" The maid Victoria, was also applauding as she began giggling. "Ve enjoyed your performanze." said Quincy. "And I bet this newspaper article had something to do with it." Victoria said as she flashed out the newspaper advertisement about the tournament. "Hehe...yeah. I'm going to enter and win us $1,000,000." said Shorty as she scratched her head. "Well, how do you suppose you're going to get there if you're grounded?" Victoria asked. "I'm gonna sneak out." Shorty answered. "Pouqoi? Mosieur Shorty! Zat iz out of zi queztione! You can not zneak out of zi manor!" Quincy justified. "Well, what can I do?" Shorty said. Suddenly, she had a great idea. She grinned and looked at Victoria and Quincy. "Ehh..Mosieur...why muzt you look at uz like dat?" Quincy asked. "Because you too are gonna make my dreams come true." Shorty replied. "Oh no you don't! We're not going to get in trouble because of you! I got into this job, and I'm not going to get myself out!" Victoria cried. "Please, Quincy! Please Victoria! It's the only way the world can see me!" Quincy turned to Victoria, as Victoria turned to Quincy. "Well, Victoria, zi gal haz alwayz wanted to be zeen in zi spotlight before. What do you zay?" Quincy asked trying to get her to agree to it. "Well...alright." Victoria agreed. "GREAT! All you have to do is drop me off at try-outs and drop me off to the tournament. And if anything suspicious happens, you just create an alibi!" Shorty said. "Thanks alot you two!" Shorty said as she leaped into their necks, hugging them both. "By the way, try-outs are tomorrow at the Auditorium." She let go of their grasp and ran down stairs having Columbo scurrying to catch up with here. "What did we get outselves into?" Victoria asked. The two girls questioned themselves. 


	3. The Groove is On

Dancing Your Heart Out  
by Gray Jester  
  
The next morning, Shorty hopped out of bed in her pajamas. Little did her parents know that under her pajamas were her tacky swweatshirt which coverered her hands and her baggy jumpers. She ripped the bunny covered pajamas and kicked off the bunny slippers in which one of them slammed into Columbo's cage. Columbo suddenly came up to it's little feet and began looking around as if something was about to attack him. "Sorry, Columbo!" Shorty apologized as she grabbed a hold of Columbo's tail and took him out of the door and into the kitchen. "Good morning, Mosieur Shorty. Breakfazt?" Quincy asked as she held the frying pan with a pancake in it. "No thanks, Quinc. I'm too excited to eat. Today's the day." Shorty replied as butteflies began to grow within her. "You sure look excited, kiddo. But you have to eat a lot. You're going to need your energy today." Victoria said, sitting down. "She iz right. Where iz zis audition going to be at, anywayz?"Quincy asked as she observed the pancake turning gold. "It's near. It's going to be held at that one audotorium where you two snuck out to watch that concert." Shorty replied as she began to giggle. "Oi, there." Quincy sighed out. "I remember that place! It's hard not to remember that place after you got kicked out by the security members who were sent out by the band themselves." Victoria said in embarassment as she giggled. "You got kicked out? I thought you walked out yourselves?" Shorty asked as she held Columbo in her hand. "Oh well...er..." Victoria continued but then was interrupted by Shorty's laughing. "Tenx alot, Viccie. Now zhe knowz zi zecret we have been keeping frum her!" Quincy said as she crossed her arms. "No biggie, you two!" Shorty laughed out. "We'd better get going right now. Your parents aren't expected until six hours. Our trip to the audition is one hour, and who knows how many people are trying out. Your parents might get back from home with you not there, or even worse, we're racing back to the home with them behind us." Victoria said as she began fixing her hair. She stood up, not in her maid outfit, but with a leather jacket and leather pants with a white t-shirt inside. Quincy wore her traditional french hat with a long skirt and a sweatshirt. She packed the pancakes and drinks inside a bag and left for the door. Soon, both maids were inside the garage and it was only Shorty and Columbo. "Ok, Columbo. This is it. We're on our way to fame and fortune!" Shorty said as she stood up. "C'mon, Columbo, fame awaits us!" Shorty straightened up, chest up and justified. She made her way for the garage as Quincy was already in the front passenger seat reading a fashion magazine. "About time, Shorty. C'mon" Victoria said as she flipped the switch for the seat. Shorty got in the back seat with the two CD's." Victoria adjusted the driver's seat and sat down. She pressed the remote control for the garage as it opened up. Victoria turned the engine on and speeded out of the garage and towards the highway. "I'm really nervous." Shorty said with anxiety. "Don't be, mosieur Shorty. Thiz iz your big break. If you loze, it'z ok. If you win, then you've done zomething your parentz weren't able to do." Quincy said as she smiled at Shorty. "Although it would be nice to have a dancing winner in your family. Your parents reek. Your father has won the Musical Jammer award, King of Beat award, DJ God award, and the Spotlight Scratcher award. You're mother with the Miss America. Miss Universe, and then after being married, Mrs.World and Mrs.Youth. None in which have to do with dancing." Victoria said as she ran a red light by accident. "Heh...whoops" Victoria said. "Honezly, Viccie. How many redlightz haz it been?" Quincy interrogated. Victoria led out a cough and said, "50," then let out another cough. "Ayayay!" Quincy sighed out. Shorty laughed at Columbo made a scavenger hunt around the backseat. Shorty grabbed Columbo's tail and tossed him into the air. Shorty caught Columbo in her hands. "Now now, Columbo. You don't want to get lost." Shorty said. Columbo squeaked and let out a juvenile stomp. Shorty giggled and setted him in her jumper's pouch.   
  
One hour later, the car was parked at the auditorium. She saw about twenty nine people seperated by a wall. She saw two people dancing on the stage as judges watched the competition. On the stage, there was a blonde haired woman with a pink baby outfit. She was fighting against some brunette girl who wore a big yellow dress. "Look at that blondie dance!" Victoria said. "A bit...dirty...izn't it?" Quincy asked as she arched a brow. "That girl's good!" Shorty said to herself. Columbo watched from her pouched, and squeaked. Suddenly, the blonde haired woman raised her hand into the air as sparks began to glow from her finger. She waved her hand around as three huge sparks appeared from the air. She suddenly threw her hands at the brunette. She beams slammed into the poor girl knocking her over into the ground. The sparks dissolved and turned into hearts which faded away. "Whoa...nice attack!" Shorty said. "Hey! What if I get attacked during the auditions? Did I bring anything?" Shorty questioned herself. She looked towards Columbo who pulled out a heavy amount of candy. "Well, this'll do" Shorty said. She sighed a bit and headed in line.   
  
Shorty leaned on the wall, nervously. 'What if I get laughed at?' Shorty thought. 'What if I get attacked and get knocked out?' Shorty couldn't stop thinking. "Hey, sweetie" said a blue haired girl wearing an orange athletic top and blue athletic baggy pants. "You look nervous." Shorty looked up at her. "Yeah, of all dance competitions I've ever been in, this is the only one where I felt the most nervous in." The blue haired girl smiled. "Well, don't worry. Just try your hardest. I'm Frida by the way! Who're you?" Shorty smiled sweetly and said, "I'm Shorty!" The girl named Frida giggled. "That's sure a good name considering that you're a teen and everything." Frida giggled. "Well, you know some people. They have the habbit of giving you nicknames and soon you grow into them. Just then, you forget your real name. When you're parents bring them up, you don't know who the name belongs to, so you prefer your nickname." Shorty let out a short sigh. "That's a funny story." Frida said. "I haven't heard of those families before." Frida said as she giggled. Frida turned around afterwards finding herself next in line. "Good luck, Frida!" Shorty said as Frida climbed the stairs. "Thanks!" Frida screamed out.  
  
Five minuts later, Frida hopped off the stage. She giggled and ran across the room to a baby-blue haired girl. They looked like eachother so they could've been sisters. "Mosieur, Shorty!" Quincy called out. "It'z your turn!" Shorty's attention quickly paced to the stage. There stood a girl. She was so into her vanity looks that she had to put on lipstick on the stage. "Well, this is it, Columbo. Let's do it!" Shorty said bravely. She got on the stage. She looked into the audience of those who won and those who didn't. There were only 30 people, so she didn't have much to look at. She saw Frida sitting next to her sister. Frida waved and gave Shorty a thumbs up. Suddenly, the music began to play. Her opponent beegan to groove to the beat. Shorty did the same. Suddenly the song got stronger. Shorty jumped up and landed on her feet. She grabbed her arm and winded it forwards and backwards. The opponent shook her hips and made a hawiiaan hand gesture by placing one hand on her head and her other arm in a twisting gesture. Shorty got on the ground and kicked one foot up, she immediently shot herself into the air and moved both arms across from left to right. Her opponent got on all fours and began making explicit movements. However, the judges' attention were on Shorty, which got the opponent mad. Her opponenent suddenly lifted her arm up into the air as suddenly a barrage of fireballs headed for Shorty's way. Shorty luckily backflipped and continued to dance. The opponent made a backflip and a breakdance manuever. Short, mad and frustrated with her opponent, ran around in a complete circle as five huge wrapped candies and gumballs came crashing unto her opponent. Shorty quickly finished the song with a FREEZE. "Mosieur, Shorty!" Quincy yelled. "You did it!" Shorty's jaw dropped. She was although frustrated, but she won. "Good job, Short!" Victoria yelled. Frida came to her feet and began applauding young Shorty. Shorty had done it. She made it to the top sixteen.  
  
An hour later, the judges came out with papers. "Ladies and gentlemen!" one of the male judges yelled out. "Announcing the top sixteen." The dancers glanced over. "The first, Heat!" a boy wearing white sweatshirts and white jogging pants with emblems of fire all over it stood up and took his applaud. "The second, Comet!" Frida's sister stood up and began roller blading in a circle, as she bowed down to take her applaud. "The third, Kitty N!". A woman with a felion costume stood up. She had strange green hair with the pink attire she was wearing. "The fourth, Pinky!" a large tall ebony woman stood up, wearing everything from head to toe pink. She bowed down and unleashed tarot cards into the air which all said, "Dance Meister". "Fifth, Hiro-Kun!" a man with a visible hairy chest stood up, wearing a disco-outft. Suddenly, thousands of girls outside of the audotorium came out of no where barricaded the door with posters, kodak cams, and even autograph books. "Sixth, Bi-O! Seventh, Gas-O!" A zombie like person (whom was Bi-O) stood up and limped over to take his applause. A boy wearing a chemical protecting outfit rushed and shoved the zombie out of the way to take his applause. "Eigth is Kelly! Ninth, Strike!" The baby suited woman stood up and gave a cute "coo" to the audience. She gave blowing kisses. A thuggish man stood up and shoved Kelly out of the way to take his applause. "Hey!" the blondie yelled out. "Shut it, slut" the thug named Strike yelled out. Kelly loaded up her beams, but she was calmed down by security. She continued off. "Tenth is Capoeria! Eleventh is Tsutomu, Twelvth is Hamm!" Two aliens stood up (Capoeria) and began to walk around taking their applause and acting as if they were a mirror. A little boy skipped about (Tsutomu) and took his applause. A big fat 30 yr old stood up with his burgers took his applause and gave a loud belch. "Thirteenth is Frida! And the last contestant is Shorty!" Frida stood up with Shorty. They smiled and grinned and took their applause. Quincy and Victoria stood up and gave Shorty an applause. Shorty and Frida made their way up the stage with the other contestants. "I did it!" Shorty yelled to the maids. "I did it!" 


End file.
